A pedestrian wearing a face mask stands next to a stock indicator displaying numbers of Nikkei 225 of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on January 4, 2021, on the first trading day of the year. (Photo: AFP)

TOKYO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened lower Monday on the first trading day of 2021, as sentiment was hit by a possible second state of emergency over COVID-19 being issued for Tokyo and neighboring prefectures amid a resurgence of infections and increasing strain on the health case system.

As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 38.54 points, or 0.14 percent, from last Wednesday to 27,405.63.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 7.71 points, or 0.43 percent, at 1,796.97.

Air transportation, land transportation and real estate-linked issues comprised those that declined the most in the opening minutes after the morning bell.